Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CASABLANCA189
2009-09-26 13:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Casablanca
Cable title:
MOROCCO CRACKS DOWN ON ISLAMIST DISSIDENTS
how-toVZCZCXRO5084 OO RUEHTRO DE RUEHCL #0189/01 2691355 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 261355Z SEP 09 FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8529 INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CASABLANCA 000189
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEAR/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: MO PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: MOROCCO CRACKS DOWN ON ISLAMIST DISSIDENTS
Classified By: Acting Consul General Ordonez for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CASABLANCA 000189
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEAR/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: MO PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: MOROCCO CRACKS DOWN ON ISLAMIST DISSIDENTS
Classified By: Acting Consul General Ordonez for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: During the first half of September
Moroccan security forces launched a campaign of
arrests across the country against the banned
Islamist group Al-Adl wal-Ihsan (AWI). The raids
forcibly broke up AWI meetings at private residences
in three cities and resulted in brief detentions for
some members. A spokesman for AWI believes these
attacks are little more than the Government of
Morocco (GOM) flexing its muscles and denies the
renewed repression is linked to recent pro-
Palestinian rally organizing efforts with leftist
groups or any other AWI activities. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) In a rash of recent activity during Ramadan,
Moroccan security forces cracked down on meetings of
the banned Islamic group Al-Adl wal-Ihsan (AWI - The
Justice and Charity Organization) led by the
charismatic Sufi Sheikh Abdelsallam Yassine. Hassan
Bennajeh, the director of the AWI's Office of Public
Relations and a member of the Political Committee,
told poloff that throughout the summer there has
been a concerted campaign by Morocco's internal
intelligence agency, the Directorate for Territorial
Surveillance (DGST),of harassment, threats and
intimidation against AWI members. He said the
government has arrested or called in scores of AWI
members, accused them of involvement in terrorist
activities, and even demanded they spy on AWI on
behalf of the government.
3. (C) According to Bennajeh, on September 3 the
police launched simultaneous evening raids on the
AWI meetings held bi-monthly in private residences
in the cities of Fes and Berkane. These meetings,
known as Majlis Nassiha (advice-giving councils),
meet to discuss the Quran and morality, he alleged.
Shortly after the last evening prayer, the police
forcibly entered the house where 37 people were
already present though more were en route from the
mosque. The police arrested seven people who were
taken to the police station, questioned, and
released without charge in the early hours of the
morning. In the city of Fes it was the same
sequence of events. The police arrested 17 of the
approximately 70 members at the meeting, questioned
and registered their information, and then released
them. Notably, among those detained in Fes was
Mounir Ragragui, a member of AWI's Political
Committee.
4. (C) The following week there were two similar
incidents in Casablanca. On September 13 in Sbata,
a low-income neighborhood, the police arrested 18
people, questioned and detained them at the local
police station, and later released them. One the
same day, police raided a hotel iftar (Ramadan
breakfast) banquet hosted by the NGO Mubadara (the
Initiative) which included prominent members of
civil society, journalists, leftist activists and
members of AWI. The police shut down the
celebration on the basis of presence of AWI though
no one was detained, Bennajeh alleged.
5. (C) Bennajeh dismissed the idea that the GOM is
trying to send a message or is reacting to specific
activities of AWI. This repression, he claimed, is
simply part of the same campaign the GOM has
actively pursued since May of 2006. He also denied
that there is any on-going direct communication
between AWI and the government.
6. (C) COMMENT: It is difficult to know with any
certainty the reason for the renewed hostilities
from the government. Some media sources have
speculated that it reflects GOM nervousness
regarding AWI's recent partnering with leftist
groups to organiz pro-Palestinian rallies. On
September 9, AWI along with a number of leftist Arab
nationalist associations held a sit-in at a public
square in Rabat which took place with no GOM
interference. The AWI has the ability to mobilize
its considerable membership to the streets as it
demonstrated during last year's Israeli offensive
into Gaza. While plausible that the GOM wants to
discourage any other group from cooperating with
AWI, it is also just as likely that the GOM is
exerting pressure to simply keep AWI in check.
CASABLANCA 00000189 002 OF 002
ORDONEZ
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEAR/MAG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: MO PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: MOROCCO CRACKS DOWN ON ISLAMIST DISSIDENTS
Classified By: Acting Consul General Ordonez for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: During the first half of September
Moroccan security forces launched a campaign of
arrests across the country against the banned
Islamist group Al-Adl wal-Ihsan (AWI). The raids
forcibly broke up AWI meetings at private residences
in three cities and resulted in brief detentions for
some members. A spokesman for AWI believes these
attacks are little more than the Government of
Morocco (GOM) flexing its muscles and denies the
renewed repression is linked to recent pro-
Palestinian rally organizing efforts with leftist
groups or any other AWI activities. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) In a rash of recent activity during Ramadan,
Moroccan security forces cracked down on meetings of
the banned Islamic group Al-Adl wal-Ihsan (AWI - The
Justice and Charity Organization) led by the
charismatic Sufi Sheikh Abdelsallam Yassine. Hassan
Bennajeh, the director of the AWI's Office of Public
Relations and a member of the Political Committee,
told poloff that throughout the summer there has
been a concerted campaign by Morocco's internal
intelligence agency, the Directorate for Territorial
Surveillance (DGST),of harassment, threats and
intimidation against AWI members. He said the
government has arrested or called in scores of AWI
members, accused them of involvement in terrorist
activities, and even demanded they spy on AWI on
behalf of the government.
3. (C) According to Bennajeh, on September 3 the
police launched simultaneous evening raids on the
AWI meetings held bi-monthly in private residences
in the cities of Fes and Berkane. These meetings,
known as Majlis Nassiha (advice-giving councils),
meet to discuss the Quran and morality, he alleged.
Shortly after the last evening prayer, the police
forcibly entered the house where 37 people were
already present though more were en route from the
mosque. The police arrested seven people who were
taken to the police station, questioned, and
released without charge in the early hours of the
morning. In the city of Fes it was the same
sequence of events. The police arrested 17 of the
approximately 70 members at the meeting, questioned
and registered their information, and then released
them. Notably, among those detained in Fes was
Mounir Ragragui, a member of AWI's Political
Committee.
4. (C) The following week there were two similar
incidents in Casablanca. On September 13 in Sbata,
a low-income neighborhood, the police arrested 18
people, questioned and detained them at the local
police station, and later released them. One the
same day, police raided a hotel iftar (Ramadan
breakfast) banquet hosted by the NGO Mubadara (the
Initiative) which included prominent members of
civil society, journalists, leftist activists and
members of AWI. The police shut down the
celebration on the basis of presence of AWI though
no one was detained, Bennajeh alleged.
5. (C) Bennajeh dismissed the idea that the GOM is
trying to send a message or is reacting to specific
activities of AWI. This repression, he claimed, is
simply part of the same campaign the GOM has
actively pursued since May of 2006. He also denied
that there is any on-going direct communication
between AWI and the government.
6. (C) COMMENT: It is difficult to know with any
certainty the reason for the renewed hostilities
from the government. Some media sources have
speculated that it reflects GOM nervousness
regarding AWI's recent partnering with leftist
groups to organiz pro-Palestinian rallies. On
September 9, AWI along with a number of leftist Arab
nationalist associations held a sit-in at a public
square in Rabat which took place with no GOM
interference. The AWI has the ability to mobilize
its considerable membership to the streets as it
demonstrated during last year's Israeli offensive
into Gaza. While plausible that the GOM wants to
discourage any other group from cooperating with
AWI, it is also just as likely that the GOM is
exerting pressure to simply keep AWI in check.
CASABLANCA 00000189 002 OF 002
ORDONEZ